An important aspect of optical measurments which has long been difficult to perform is to distinguish scattering from absorbing particles from scattering from non-absorbing (or transparent) scatterers. Such measurements can be exceedingly important in industries where it is necessary to distinguish particulates from bubbles for example. Hence, such measurements can be vital to quality control.
What is needed is a new and accurate method for quantitatively distinguishing absorbtive scattering from non-absorbtive scattering.